CarolynP Loc: North Carolina

I have been asked to photograph a friend's wedding next spring. I am currently shooting with a Nikon D5100 with kit lenses. I hope to be able to do more and more professional photography and need recommendations on lenses I will need to get for this particular occasion. It will be an outdoor wedding. I have a couple in mind, but want advice. Thanks!

Mormorazzi Loc: Temple, Texas

Are you familiar with "Search" at the top of this page? You'll find a lot of detailed answers to your questions about lenses for shooting a wedding. Which lenses do you have in mind?

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

There will probably be a plethora of photographers on this site who disagree, but based on what I've heard from my friends who are wedding photographers, I would urge you to practice this line: "I would love to photograph your wedding; but you two are such a special couple, if it's okay with you, I'll just come as a spectator."

In the age of the smart phone, the digital camera, and the sense of total entitlement, wedding photography is increasingly becoming a battle between the "legitimate" wedding photographer, the person hired by the bride and groom, and the casual wedding photographer, the person who steps out into the aisle blocking the "legitimate" photographer's view, so he can get a blurry, poorly exposed, 72 ppi picture of the bride coming down the aisle.

But you're probably not going to listen to me, so you might want to look at D800 and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. At the very least, you'll end up with a great rig to caress as you sort through the shots of the back of cousin Filbert's head as he waves his Spiffex 7000 in front of you as the groom kisses the bride.

John Lawrence

You're absolutely right. I agreed to take pictures of our granddaughters christening and the party afterwards. What you described happened all day long and this was among people I know. Everyone fights to 'get my shot' and the heck with anyone else. I would never do it again.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Anytime anyone mentions doing a Wedding a whole bunch of folks jump in and say don't do it. Most of them have either never done a Wedding or have went to do one ill prepared and things did not go right.

First your question on lenses. Most of us use "fast glass" the f/2.8 constant aperture. Most the 28 mm to 70 mm and 70 mm to 200. This way most shots can be made in available light. I use a crop frame camera and a Tamaron 35 -105 fixed app and a old Nikon 70 mm to 210mm. I also take a 11mm to 18mm for tight spaces and special effects. I also have a 35mm and 50mm f/ 1.8's If I need the for low light. These are not super expensive and I would recommend that you have one of them. You can get along with your kit lenses. If you do you will need a good flash that has enough power to do group shots. For the ceremony you will need a tripod. People just don't move around during the ceremony and you can use slow shutter speeds.

Now for a few more comments. You have a lot of time to prepare. I would study all the books I could get. You can buy them super cheap from Abe and Amazon used books. Two that are old but have full weddings in them are "$54,000 a year in Spare-time Wedding Photography" by Don Feltner and "Beyond The Camera" by Jack Curtis. (I have an article in. Jack's Wedding-Portrait Photography World) None of the other Wedding books I have seen tell you how to do a whole Wedding. Then do a lot of practice before the Wedding. Get someone to be a "Bride" for you and practice and improve. You may get the Bride and Groom to do a Session with you a few days before the Wedding where you will have time to do great posing.
If you get the Don Feltner book he give good advice and how to prepare to become a Wedding Photographer.

Before the Wedding sit down with the Bride and Groom and make an outline of the shots they want and when they want them taken. Make it clear to them that if you are the photographer that they will give you the time and attention you will need to get the shots they want. You will also want them to have one or two helpers to round up folks to get their pictures taken. You may want to explain to them that due to the nature of Weddings you may not be able to get every shot they want.

Since you want to do some pro work this is a great chance for you to get your feet wet. It is my favorite type of photography. - Dave

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

I've done weddings, and I am always prepared; so skip the ad hominem attacks, please. My one problem with UHH is that too many people take a variance in opinions as a call to battle. You have your opinion, I have mine. It's a subjective world; we need to live with that reality.

I will be most interested in Carolyn's opinion after she's shot a wedding.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Carolyn, Wilson always has great wedding advice.
I would only like to add, that I would be ready with the best flash system you can muster up. Even outdoors, you can never count on the sun to participate. Look at the Yongnuo 468ll and how to radio control them.
Have spares of everything in case something fails.
Good luck. SS

Edit: find out where to get the BEST wedding albums. That alone can make you look really good!

rebride

Although I am a great proponent of 'throwing one to the wolves' getting one's feet wet at a first time wedding shoot might end up like a cannon ball dive splashing all over the parade.
Experience is the key, but experience at the bride and groom's expense? At the expense of friendship?

I will be most interested in the friend's opinion after the wedding.

GPoyner Loc: North Dakota

Wilson provides good advice as does the others....you might also want to do a contract so everyone knows what is expected of them and what you will be delivering.

You don't want to end up finding out that they expected you to provide free wedding photo books to them and the parents at your expense. At least get something in writing on what you will and will not be providing and how they will receive the end results.

Thanks GP

Mormorazzi Loc: Temple, Texas

I'm not a wedding photographer, but I've been asked to shoot two small weddings this winter. They've seen photos I've taken at numerous large and small events and like my work, and they've seen photos I've shot as a second shooter at several weddings. I'm familiar with the wedding scene ... but I'm still a bit nervous about taking on the enormous responsibility. Carolyn, all wedding photographers start somewhere. If you have a passion for weddings, know your camera(s) and equipment, can react to "uh-ohs" quickly ... and the bride's expectations aren't too high, go ahead and do it. I'm a good photographer, but I still advise brides to go hire the very best they can afford. If I'm what a bride can afford, I'm happy to oblige.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Sharpshooter makes a very good point - lots of discussion of lenses, but lighting will be extremely important. Make sure you have a very good flash, and use a diffuser to avoid shadow. A small softbox or pocketbounce works well. I recently photographed a niece's wedding and used a pocketbounce - it comes with a detachable gold reflector, which if you are doing portraits or close-ups of faces adds warmth. If you don't snap that out for long shots with a white wedding dress you might have to do a little white balance correcting in PP, since it can make the dress a little yellow.

All the cautionary tales are true - if your friends are not having a big professional wedding and you know you can do a really good job, then enjoy it. If everything else is going to be top-of-the-line, then thank them for their confidence in you and politely decline the request. Every other wedding detail will be lost in their memories over time, but the photos will live on....

steve03 Loc: long Lsland

:thumbup: :thumbup:

CarolynP Loc: North Carolina

Thanks so much everyone! I have a real passion for photography and I am learning so much, especially here at UHH. I will take all of your comments into consideration and use them to sharpen my skills. I will be sure to post my results, so be watching for me to return to this discussion forum again in April, 2014!

sixshooter Loc: constitution state

As a wedding photographer I've got to tell you "what type of lens to buy" is the least of your problems.. There is so much more that goes into this that I don't even know where to start.. You need to know your camera inside and out have a strong knowledge of how light works,exposure,white balance,shutter speed, DOF, the ability to adjust all of these things on the fly. and the equipment to support your needs..Then all that equipment needs to be backed up with more equipment. You will also need a contract, Insurance (many venues won't even let you walk in the door as a vendor without at least a million in liability) and a Plan! You will need the personability and confidence to corral and pose a fairly large and diverse group of people and do this quickly all while getting technically sound, creative,and artistic images. You need to be on your toes all day long. This is not fun..It's work. Work that needs to be taken very seriously and is very easy to screw up royally.There is an extraordinary amount of stress involved..and No you cannot also be a guest..you will not have time to chat,or dare have a drink. There will be meetings to handle (with the couple,the officiate,the dj etc..) to make sure everyone is on the same page and things go smoothly..you should absolutely be there for the rehearsal and scout all locations..Then the day to shoot..and hundreds of images to sort through and edit...and believe me thats just the tip of the iceberg. Taking this all into consideration...folks are right,everyone starts somewhere..but I would never recommend going into this without all of your bases covered..Weddings in particular (as opposed to any other photographic avenue) Strictly adhere to Murphys Law...

jimberton Loc: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

I have big time respect for wedding photographers.....after doing 5 weddings this past year.....I come to realization that i am not a wedding photographer. I tried it..and even one of them i hired a second shooter (who was way better than I am)

you have to do what you got to do and i would never try to talk you out of it. best way to find out if you're cut out for it is to do it.

as far as lenses....I have 2 recommendations

24-70 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8
I can recommend them from my own experience.

I have a friend that is a wedding photographer and he uses an 85mm (i think it's a 1.4 or 1.8) for bridal, groom, ceremony and a 16-35 for the reception.

good luck. read up all the info that you can get your hands on and practice, practice, and practice.

At one point in time, i think all of us photographers feel kinda invincible and we have the power to be great photographers in any venue.....but we have to find out what we are good at and spend a lifetime honing the skills.

here's a few things that i have found...

most landscape photographers are not portrait or wedding photographers

most portrait photographers are not wedding or landscape photographers

most wedding photographers are not portrait or landscape photographers.

also what i have found is that i am a pretty good product photographer and just mediocre in the rest. takes a while to figure out where you shine.

good luck...maybe this wedding will inspire you to do more weddings.